Happy Veterans'/Remembrance/Armistice Day

One hundred years since the war to end all wars ended.

What is going on locally in your town in remembrance? Here, we're having a ceremony this afternoon; this morning we had a 5k kicked off with a short speech from one of our major generals.

Have a peaceful day, everyone.

 

Amen, KJIM. Be safe!

 

Here are ten things to do in DC in remembrance:

https://washington.org/dc-guide-to/veterans-day-in-washington-dc

 

Happy Veterans Day

'A train wreck': Veterans haven't received GI Bill benefits for months

 

I learned that Veterans Day and Armistice Day are the same thing in an episode of WKRP.

 

Because every day in the US has been veterans day for the past 17 years.

 

We had a lot of stuff today. Concerts, speeches, flyovers. Took my son (not quite three) to watch some helicopters land. He thought it was great until he wasn't allowed to go in and hop in. Blew a gasket.

Also, got me thinking about Stolen Valor and real vets on days like today. I am lucky to know some guys who have some badass military backgrounds. Almost, none of them talk about it including a guy I have been working on a project for almost a year. I knew he "flew in the Navy" because he told me how fun Navy bars were. Only recently learned, while at a luncheon that he flew F-8s in Vietnam and was shot down. Not captured, but earned a Purple Heart. He later flew with the Blue Angels. So, yeah, cool as hell guy...he just doesn't talk about it.

Used to work with/for a guy at a magazine. Had most of his jaw blown off while leading a platoon in Vietnam. He said it was the best thing that ever happened to him because when they sewed his face back together, they made him good looking and gave him a career in television. Only reason we knew the story was because his wife told us in a remark, "oh, I saw some pictures of him in high school and I didn't recognize him." He also went to college with Kevin Kline and Jane Pauley, and has pictures of them drinking at his apartment. He talks about that story....aka...."we didn't care about Kevin being there because we all knew him, but Jane came in...we all about fell over because every guy in the journalism program loved her and she never socialized with us." He then explained that is why he snapped a picture of her...(the pic is interesting because she looks sort of shocked that her pic was taken)

 

My uncle hit all the hot spots with the British Army in WWII: chasing Rommel out of North Africa, landing in Italy and then D-Day. He was a bad man, but never talked about it, even to his brother - my old man - I pieced this all together at my uncle's funeral. My old man made it abundantly clear that he did nothing in his time in Korea compared to what his brother did in WWII. My grandfather was an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, I have some extended family who are serving or who have served in the United States Navy, today we are remembering all those who have served.

 

The VFW at my side gig store had set up a table to sell poppies for donations. I never knew the significance of the poppies until I visited London on 11/11 one year. Never had heard of it being a thing stateside.

 

For some context. A young Jane Pauley....

 

Nice pussy!